Chiappa’s sculptures are made of plaster, resin, paint and fiberglass. They are individually poured, sanded, hand-painted and coated in resin. Chiappa’s production method entails dropping each yolk into the plaster that becomes the egg white. The act of the drop serves to remove the artist’s hand from control over the form of the egg – the shape of each work, each egg, is thus unique.
The fried egg functions as a dual symbol for Chiappa, a combination of perfect form and random shape. The yoke, when intact, retains a perfect bulbous, geometric oval, whereas the fried egg white always takes on an arbitrary form. The unbroken egg has historically stood as a symbol for perfection, purity and potential in contrast to its fried iteration. In Chiappa’s installation, the eggs, with their edges browned and stuck to the wall, become products of irreversible transformation, a vestige of potential.
This exhibition is part of SCAD deFINE ART 2018, held Feb. 20-23 at university locations in Savannah and Atlanta, Georgia, and Hong Kong. SCAD deFINE ART is an annual program of exhibitions, lectures, performances and public events that highlights emerging and established artists and visionaries.
